Pneumatic tire



Patented Mar. 28, I899. 0 G PAGE PNEUMATIC TIRE.

' a at 2 N 2l,97|. Patented Mar. 28, l899.. C. G. PAGE.

PNEUMATIC TIRE.

(Application filed. Oct. 22, 1897.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

(No Model.)

UNirnn STATES PATENT .GFFICEt CHARLES Gr. PAGE, OF OAK PARK, ILLINOIS.

PN EU MATIC TIRE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters mete No. 621,971, dated March 28,1899.

Application filed October 22, 1897. Serial No. 656,020. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may Curl/087%:

Beit known that I, CHARLES G. PAGE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Oak Park, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Pneumatic Tires, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to mechanically-fastened pneumatic tires of thatclass in which the tire comprises an inner inflatable air-tube and anadj ustably-wired open sheath or casing-that is to say, a casing whichis separated longitudinally along its inner circumference, so thataccess can be had to its interior, and provided along the edge portions,which are formed as a result of such longitudinal separation, withnon-continuous ring-shaped Wire or analogous bands, having their freeterminals arranged for connection with adj ustable wire-tighteningdevices, whereby the wires can be adjustably contracted or drawn tautfor the purpose of securing the casing upon a wheel-rim and alsoexpanded or allowed to slacken, so as to permit the casing to be removedfrom the wheel-rim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents in side elevation aportion of a pneumatic tire and wheel-rim to which my invention isunderstood to be applied. Fig. 2 is a sect-ion taken centrally andlongitudinally through Fig. 1, the wire-tightening device being adjustedso as to permit the wire to slacken. Fig. 3 illustrates in perspectivethe wire connected with the pivoted levers of myimproved Wire-tighteningdevice. Fig. 4 is a view corresponding with Fig. 2, but showing thewire-tightening device adjusted soas to tighten the Wire; Fig. 5 is asection taken transversely through the tire and wheel-rim on line as xin Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a like section 011 line y g in Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is asectional plan view, the section being on line .2 a in Fig. 4c.

Theannular sheath or casing A, of which a portion only is shown,contains an inflatable air-tube B and is divided or open along its baseor inner circumference, so as to permit access to be had both to theinner tube and to the inner wall of the casing for purposes of repairwhen the casing is detached from the wheelrim. The longitudinal edgeportions of the casing at opposite sides of its the tightening device isadjusted to draw the terminals of the adjustable securing-wire towardone another for the purpose of causing it to firmly bind the casing uponthe'wheel-' rim.

The wheel-rim D is provided with an opening (Z, arranged between itsedge portions and adapted to provide a socket for the adjustabletightening device, and the opening thus formed is preferably hushed by asleeve or thimble E, which is fitted within the opening and providedwith an end flange 6, arranged to fit against the inner circumferentialportion of the wheel-rim. When the tire is properly on the wheel-rim,the gap between the terminals of the non-continuous wire rings will beopposite the opening (I in the wheelrim, whereby the wires can be drawnby the adjustable tightening device toward such opening for the purposeof fastening on the tire.

The adjustable tightening device comprises a couple of vibratory leversF, having their corresponding inner or lower ends, as they may beconveniently designated, pivotally connected with an adjustableretractor by any suitable hinge or equivalent joint or joints and havingtheir opposite outer or upper ends pivotally or flexibly connected withthe terminal portions of the adjustable wire or wires in any suitableway. The retractor may consist of any suitable construction andarrangement of nut and screw movement adapted and applied for drawingthe levers F within the opening or socket d in the wheelrim, so as totighten up the wire bands, and for causing such levers to emerge fromsaid socket and enter the casing for the purpose of loosening up thewire hands, a simple and preferred arrangement, however, being anexternally-threaded stem G, which is adjusted longitudinally by a nut Hand arranged to slide within the opening or socket (Z, but held againstrotation in anysuitable way -as, for

example, one side or opposite sides of the stem can be flattened, as atg, and the hollow bushing E can be correspondingly formed. By thusproviding a single longitudinallymovable and non-rotatable stem G andpivoting or hinging the levers F to one end thereof the opening throughthe wheel-rim can be made so small that it will not materially weakenthe wheel-rim, and by pivoting the levers to one end of the stem thelevers can be relatively contracted or swung together and drawn withinsuch comparatively small opening, as illustrated in Fig. 4.

The levers F are preferably bent or curved in opposite directions, so asto avoid raising the end portions of the wires during the operation ofdrawing the levers from their relatively-expanded condition within thecasing, Fig. 2, to their relatively-contracted condition within thesocket (I, Fig. 4, it being observed that in eifeet the upper endportions of the levers which connect with the wires are bent downwardly,and that thus considered their lower end portions could be made more orless straight. I prefer, however, to curve the lovers substantially asillustrated,whereby they will not project upwardly within the casing toan extent to interfere with or in any wise endanger the inner tube. Byoperating the nut which bears against flange 6 of the thimble, so as tobring the levers into the relative condition shown in Fig. 2, the wirebands will be loosened or slackened to an extent to permit the removalof the tire, and by further turning the nut II it will be freed from thestem G of the retractor, and thereby allow such stem to be withdrawnfrom the socket along with the tire when the latter' is removed from thewheel-rim. In order to again secure the tire upon the wheel-rim, it canbe placed thereon and the stem G can be again introduced within thesocket (Z, after which the nut can be applied to the stem and tightenedup, so as to draw the levers within the socket, as in Fig. 4-, whereinthe ends of the wire are shown drawn together to a suitable extent. Animportant feature of this arrangement is the increase of leverage as theresistance to the tightening up of the wires increases. Thus while thelevers are relatively contracting or swinging together and entering thesocket they will bear and slide upon fulcral bearings at opposite sidesof the socketfor example, upon the upper end of the thimble. In this waywhen the levers are within the socket to an extent to take up the slackin the wires and cause their initial binding action upon the portions ofthe tire-casing between the wires and the wheel-rim the portions of thelevers between the aforesaid f ulcral bearings at one end of the socketand the connections between the levers and the retractor will formtheirlong arms, which latter will increase in length proportionally to theextent to which the retractor is adjusted to further draw the leverswithin the socket. Regardless, therefore, of the character of thewheelrim and the size and stiffness of wire employed the wires can becontracted upon the casing to an extent to firmly bind the casing uponthe wheel-rim and prevent side slip on yiously be employed inconjunction with the levers F, which during the operation of ti ghteningup the wire exert a direct pull upon the wire, while at the same time,being fulcrumed at opposite sides of the socket, an increasing leverageis attained, as hereinbefore set forth.

Broadly considered, the wires can be connected with the tire-casing inany known or approved way, and the tire-casing can be variouslyconstructed and seated upon a wheelrim. As matters of furtherimprovement, however, I propose employing a crescent rim, or a rimhaving an annular transverselyconcave peripherally-arranged seat (1',and providing a tubular tire-casin g which is split along its base andprovided with longitudinally-arranged internal ribs a, which extendalong opposite sides of the line of split. \Vith such arrangement theribs may and preferably do abut the one against the other, asillustrated; but, if desired, they may bear wholly or in part upon anarrow intervening rib on the wheel-rim, the effect in either case beingthat the ribs or edge portions of the casing meet or proximately meetalong the middle line of the rim-seat and are braced against side slip.Thus, as best illustrated by Fig. 5, each edge portion of the tire alongthe line of split forms an abutment for the opposite edge portion, andsince the wire bands when contracted and locked by the retractor cannotshift toward the edges of the wheel-rim such abutments will beeifectively held in position. If desired, however, side slip can befurther guarded against by providing the wheel-rim with a smallcentrallyarranged rib (1 In either case, however, the tire is in effecttemporarily closed along its divided base, whereby water will beexcluded from entering the casing.

The ribs or preferably terminate short of the point at which the leverswork through the tire-casing, (see Fi 7,) by which arrange ment the twowires can have their terminals connected by loops 0 or like cross conneetions either integral with and forming a part of the wires or madeseparate therefrom'and secured thereto in any suitable mechanical way.This arrangement of ribs leaves ample room for the movement oradjustment of the wire terminals and levers F, and, further,

' be further maintained in connection with the WVhen the tire-casing isin place upon the vided base.

wheel-rim and the wires are suitably tightened, the contraction indiameter of the ringshaped non-continuous wire bands will not only bindthe edge portions of the tire-casing upon the concave seat in thewheel-rim, but also tend to draw such edge portions together. The wireswill also engage the ribs, and this considered'the wires will have apositive engagement both with the ribs and with portions of the casingadjacent to such ribs, and thereby prevent lateral slip and expansion ofthe casing-that is to say, prevent the part of the tire-casing which isthus engaged by the Wires from laterally spreading apart along its di-The wires can also bind upon the base portion of the tire between theends of the ribs but in order to compensate for the absence of ribs atsuch point I adapt the casing to positively resist lateral expansion forthe portion of its length which is not thus provided with ribs or withmeans for causing positive engagement-between the casing and the wires.To such endthe base portion-of the casing could be split continuouslyand then laced or otherwise mechanically fastened together along theedge portions over which the terminal portions of the wires and leversare arranged to move, or as a simple and preferred way the split a canterminate at or near the ends of the ribs. In this way the portion ofthe casing. which is not provided with ribs will be undivided, and hencewill resist undue expansion when inflated.

The end portions of the wires andthelevers can be covered with a flap orlayer 1-, Fig.5, of fabric or other suitable material, so as to preventinjury to the inner inflatable air-tube. This flap or layer could beattached to the inner wall of the casing by one edge only;

but as a preferred arrangement I cement or otherwise secure its oppositelongitudinal edge portions to the inner wall of the casing, as at i t',and by employing a suitable stout fabric it will also prevent unduelateral expansion or opening of the inflated tire along the portionwhich is not positively held by the wires when the tire is inflated.

In order to conceal the stem G, a cap it can be arranged over theexposed end portion thereof and preferably formed with or se= cured tothe nut I-I. Obviously the stem could be provided with two pairs oflevers F, one pair being employed for each non-continuous wire ring; butas such arrangement would necessitate enlarging the opening in theWheel-rim I prefer to employ but one pair for both wires.

\Vith further reference to the feature of a tubular pneumatic-tirecasing split along its base and provided with normally-adjacent orcontiguous ribs (1 and adjustable non-continuous wire rings extendingalongside and engaging such ribs and having connected correspondingterminals extending beyond the ends of the ribs it is understood that Imay in connection with such arrangement employ various known adjustabletightening devices, and hence that I desire to broadly claim saidarrangement in conjunction with any known or suitable adjustabletightening device. I also desire to broadly cover the feature of atubular pneumatic tire casing split along its base and having internalribs arranged along its separable edges formed by such split andabutting the one against the other when the casing is seated and securedin an annular transversely-concave seat in a wheel rim,with the wiresmade as non-continuous rings connected with any suitable known orpreferred adjusting device and arranged when con tracted in diameter tobind the casing upon the wheel-rim and to bind. the ribs together.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. The combination with an adjustablywired pneumatic-tire casing adapted to open along its base, and awheel-rim, of an adjustable tightening device comprising vibratorylevers which are connected with the terminals of the adjustable wiresand which relatively contract or swing together and slide within anopening in the wheel-rim so as to tighten up the wires, and also emergefrom such opening and relatively expand or swing apart so as to loosenthe wires, and an adjustable retractor by which the levers are drawnwithin and projected from the opening in the wheel-- rim, substantiallyas set forth.

2. The combination with an adjustablywired pneumatic-tire casing,adapted to open along its base, and a wheel-rim, of an adj ustabletightening device comprising oppositelycurved vibratory levers which areconnected with the terminals of the adjustable wires and whichrelatively contract or swing together and slide within an opening in thewheel-rim so as to tighten up the wires, and also emerge from suchopening and relatively expand or swing apart so as to loosen the wires,and an adjustable retractor by which.

able tightening device comprising a pair of vibratory levers whichconnect respectively with one and the other of said loops and whichrelatively contract or swing together and slide within an opening in thewheel-rim to tighten up the wires, and emerge from such opening andrelatively expand orswing apart to loosen the wires, and an adjustableretractor to which said levers are pivotally attached, substantially asdescribed.

at. The combination of an adj ustably-wired pneumatic-tire casingadapted to open along its base; a wheel-rim; a pair of vibratory leversF, F, which are respectively connected with opposite terminal portionsof the adjustable wires of the tire-casing and which relatively contractand slide within an opening in the wheel-rim as a means for tighteningup the wires, and emerge from such opening and relatively expand toslacken up the wires; a longitudinally adjustable non rotatable threadedstem to which the levers are pivoted, and a nut engaging said stem,substantially as described.

5. The combination of a wheel-rim having an annular,transversely-concave seat for a tubular pneumatic-tire casing; atubular, adjustably-wired pneumatic-tire casing,divided longitudinallyalong its base and having n'oncontinuous internallyarranged ribs alongwhich the adjustable wires are arranged, said wires having theirterminalportions extended beyond the ends of the ribs; and an adjustabletightening device connected with the terminal portions of the wires,substantially as set forth.

(3. The combination of a wheel-rim; a pneumatic-tire casing separablydivided along its base but having a portion thereof non-separable orheld against separation when the tire is inflated; adjustablefastening-wires which engage and hold the separable edge portions of thecasing against lateral spread when the tire is inflated and which havetheir terminal portions extending over the non-separable portion of thetire; and an adjustable tightening device connected with the wireterminals and arranged to work through the tirecasing at a point betweenthe separable portions off the latter, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination of a tubular pneumatictire casing having alongitudinally-divided base and provided with internally-arrangednon-continuous ribs a; Wires C, O, engaging said ribs and having theirterminals connected by loops 0, 0, arranged beyond the terminals of theribs; a wheel-rim; and an adjustable tightening device connected withsaid loops and arranged to work through an opening in the wheel-rim,substantially as set forth.

8. The combination ofapneumatic-tire casing having alongitudinally-divided base; wires 0, C, engaging the base of the tireat opposite sides of its line of division; an adjustable tighteningdevice connected with the wires and arranged to work through the easing; and a covering layer arranged over the adjustable tightening deviceand secured at its opposite longitudinal edge portions to the inner wallof the casing, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination of a tubular pneumat ic tire casing A, split alongits base and having non-continuous ribs a along the line of split, theportion of the casing between the terminals of the ribs beingnon-separable; wires C, C, engaging the ribs and having their terminalsextended beyond the ends of the ribs and connected by loops 0, c, and atightening device comprising a pair of pivotally-connected leversengaging the loops 0, c, and means for operating said levers for thepurpose of tightening and loosening the wires.

10. The combination with a wheel-rim having an annular,transversely-coneave seat for a tubular pneumatic-tire casing, of anadjustably-wired tubular pneumatic-tire casing split longitudinallyalong its base and provided with internally-arranged ribs extendingalong the separable edges formed by the longitudinal split through itsbase portion and abutting the one against the other when the casing isseated and secured upon the wheelrim; the adjustable wires being in theform of non-continuous rings connected with suitable adjusting means forcontracting and expanding their diameters,and arranged to bind thecasing upon the seat in the wheel-rim and to bind together the ribs ofthe casin g, when contracted in diameter for such purpose, substantiallyas set forth.

CHARLES G. PAGE.

\Vitnesses:

MARGARET M. WAGNER, A. F. DURAND.

